Chapter 49: The Way of Carving

To achieve the desired glossiness of the bamboo sample, each green strip of bamboo had to be scraped at least four times. She held the scraper upright in her left palm, securing the blade with all her fingers except the index. Her index finger lay flat, padded with a piece of ramie cloth, gently pressing against the flat bevel of the scraper. With her right hand, she drew the supple bamboo strip, over two feet long, through the gap between her finger and the scraper with a gentle pull.

Bamboo shavings curled and fluttered softly to the ground.

She turned the bamboo strip over and repeated the process.

After four passes, she set aside the scraper and the ramie cloth.

Holding one end in her left hand, she smoothed the strip from left to right with her right hand: it was as silky as satin. Now, the clarity of the bamboo's surface was so pronounced that even the blazing sunlight could only enhance its brilliance.

A stunned Wang Peng finally resumed his normal breathing. At this moment, Wang Ge's rough hands seemed capable of anything in the eyes of the child.

Wang Ge handed the bamboo strip to Grandfather, then opened the wooden box from Landlord Jia and asked, "Grandfather, please check—are they the same?"

Grandfather Wang compared them, then, belatedly, said, "Is it... is it ready?"

"Yes. One coin per strip—what more do you want?"

"You said following the sample, it was easy to ruin the work."

"True, but that's for ordinary apprentices. I'm a first-class apprentice—it's different."

Grandfather Wang's worries vanished; he promptly scolded, "Child, why didn't you say so earlier? All right, if there's nothing else, I'll head to the field."

"There is something. Grandfather, let Cousin handle the cooking for a while—I want more time to finish Landlord Jia's work first."

"Very well. I'll have your second uncle bring Ah Shu home early today. Aside from going to the well to do laundry, you needn't worry about chores in the yard—leave them to Ah Peng and Tigerhead, I think they're doing quite well."

Wang Peng and Wang Xing proudly straightened their little chests. Wang Xing beckoned to Cousin, and Wang Ai ran over, mimicking them and standing up straight.

Wang Peng planted his hands on his hips and laughed at his youngest sister, "Ha! You're just a millet grain in size!"

Grandfather Wang twisted his grandson's ear and yanked, "Speak! Where did you learn that? Who insults their sister like this?"

"Ouch, ouch, Grandfather, have mercy! I learned it from Second Brother—he was calling Third Brother names like that yesterday, ow!"

Grandfather Wang, fuming, let go, the pain sharper than before. Wang Peng wailed and ran inside, crying. Wang Ai, not understanding she was insulted, chased after her brother to comfort him.

"That rascal Ah He, learning bad words—millet grain, is it? Watch me turn him into one!" The old man, grumbling, hefted his basket and farming tools. The siblings saw him to the gate; as Wang Ge walked back, she noticed her younger brother hadn't followed. He stood there, head drooping.

"Well now, whose child is this?" She crouched before him, coaxing with a smile, "Such a handsome boy—if no one brings you home, I might just take you myself."

Wang Xing broke into a smile through tears, poking his index fingers left and right, admitting his fault: "Actually, the words Second Brother used to insult were taught by me. I purposely asked him what 'millet grain' meant when First Brother called me that, and Third Brother told me it probably meant I was short. Then I told him First Brother was wrong—I'm not the shortest in the family. And I said, when First Brother comes home, he'll definitely use 'millet grain' to insult Ah Ai."

Wang Ge said, "So from yesterday to today, you've never insulted anyone—you just told the truth. What's wrong with that?"

"Don't you think I incited Third Brother?"

"He's older—if you could incite him, he deserves it. Oh! How could I say such a thing about my brother?" She feigned remorse, covering her mouth.

"Hehe." Just like that, Wang Xing's worries vanished; he hugged her neck.

Wang Ge, smiling, stroked the back of his head. Her gaze fell on the gate as Liu Bo walked up to the Wang family courtyard and stopped.

"Liu Brother?" Wang Ge picked up her brother and greeted him.

Although Wang Dalang was blind, Liu Bo still paid his respects to the elder properly. Wang Ge moved the tool stool aside and knelt opposite Liu Xiao Lang on the mat.

After pouring bamboo leaf tea for her sister and guest, Wang Xing sat obediently beside his father, covering his mouth with his hand to whisper, "Sister knows this Liu Brother—he's really handsome."

Liu Bo noticed the child staring and smiled, nodding to Wang Xing.

Wang Xing twisted away, shy for once.

"Liu Brother, did you come yesterday?" Wang Ge asked.

"Yes. I wish to make an inkstone, and tomorrow I'll venture into the wild hills to seek stone."

"The wild hills are dangerous—you shouldn't go alone."

"My uncle has been staying in Jia Village recently; he'll escort me tomorrow."

Wang Ge understood—Liu Bo's uncle must be a guard or soldier at the riverside pavilion. Liu Xiao Lang certainly wasn't visiting her without reason.

Liu Bo disliked small talk. He took something from his cloth pouch, unwrapped it in ramie, revealing a pair of bamboo hairpins.

Wang Ge had already guessed his purpose. She smiled and said, "I carved these—what a coincidence that Liu Brother bought them."

"Not quite coincidence. I mentioned your craftsmanship to Merchant Feng, saying you were unlike other apprentices, truly deserving the title of first-class apprentice."

So that's how it was. She had always found it odd that Merchant Feng sought her out specifically, considering there were many senior bamboo craftsmen in the village. They couldn't pass the craftsman exam but had devoted years to weaving, making bamboo wares far better than apprentices or journeymen.

How troublesome—now she owed another favor. Wang Ge rose and bowed to him. "Thank you, Liu Brother."

That favor was finally repaid. Liu Bo stood and returned her bow with composure.

After sitting again, Liu Bo explained his purpose: "The 'bamboo' character on these hairpins embodies a unique brushstroke technique. I tried to imitate it, but my understanding remains shallow. I wish to ask you to carve other characters."

"'Bamboo'? Liu Brother, you've mistaken it. I'm just a country girl—I don't even recognize the character for 'bamboo.' Each hairpin head is simply three bamboo leaves."

Liu Bo felt disappointed, but Wang Ge continued, "However, I can carve it again for you, right here."

Liu Bo's temperament was clear and far-reaching; whether he got what he sought or not, he was only briefly moved. "Thank you."

Wang Ge took the scraper from the tool stool, sharpened its edge on a whetstone, wrapped the blunt end with cloth, and used the tip as a carving knife.

Carving characters was easier than making a hairpin. She found a palm-sized bamboo chip in the utility room and moved the tool stool before Liu Xiao Lang. Kneeling opposite him, she wasted no words—she set straight to it.

She carved.

Wang Ge's claim not to know the 'bamboo' character was surely a lie, but she truly couldn't carve other slender gold script characters. In her previous life as Wang Nanxing, she had no time for calligraphy; the slender gold 'bamboo' was one of the basic templates passed down in her family—youngsters learned to carve it from the moment they picked up a knife. So the 'flowers blooming at the knife's tip' Liu Bo now witnessed was nothing more than skill born of practice, like the oil vendor's 'mastery through repetition.'

Before long, two 'ge' characters stood side by side. She shaved away the excess bamboo, leaving only the base supporting the 'bamboo' character. She blew away the shavings—it was a slender, lively 'bamboo,' but she would never admit it.

Liu Bo hadn't expected watching the carving process would bring him new insight. When he returned, he would try the art of carving himself.

Yes, carving—perhaps it is a way, a path?

Liu Bo sat, lost in thought.

Wang Xing brought over the bamboo kettle; Wang Ge shushed her brother and took it. The two bowls of bamboo leaf tea had been untouched, a few bamboo shavings drifting in. Wang Ge wasn't in a hurry to change the water. Clearly, the young man was in a peculiar state, something like 'enlightenment.'

Liu Bo soon returned to himself and asked, "Will you dare to participate in the craftsman exam at the end of September, Wang Apprentice?"